


Fire That Did Not Burn

by Logseman



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Deception, F/F, Gen, Grey Wardens, surprise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 20:03:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4405595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Logseman/pseuds/Logseman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hawke and the Inquisition fighters leave the Fade by the skin of their teeth, leaving Stroud behind.</p>
          </blockquote>





	1. Its Gates Forever Shut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke and the Inquisition fighters leave the Fade by the skin of their teeth, leaving Stroud behind.

"I will stay here!"

The moustached man dug his feet on the ground, on the shaky, illusive ground of wherever that place was. A black structure could be seen from afar, staring from a distance at the little ones who were playing their roles far away from its once golden walls. The man kept his shield close to him, while he readied himself to face the nightmare: its shell larger than a house, its tentacles so thick that they could strangle a druffalo, the beast turned towards the one challenging him.

"Stroud! Don't! I will stay!" The huge man's voice was completely unheeded by his friend, who charged with his sword without even looking anywhere else.  
"He's made his stand, Champion! We need to turn tail on the double!" Evelyn had painstakingly secured the exit of her companions, but now the beast tried to move between her and the green orb-like gate and cut their own way out. "Snap out of it and go through that portal!"

The demon did not take Stroud into account in its hasty movement, and the Warden charged and stabbed one of the many orbs of flesh and foulness that the creature seemed composed of. The Champion made his own charge, with an enormous sword in his hands, and further drew blood and cut through the thing.  
"HAWKE! GO WITH THE INQUISITOR!" Stroud shouted this time, and the Champion paid the same attention to him as he had done before.

The demon reacted against the Champion, smacking his sword away with ease in one strike of its tentacles, and crushing his armor against his chest with another one. He was sent flying away, but fortunately he landed close to the portal that Evelyn had created. _This is the chance!_ She precariously dragged away the unconscious man, armed with what seemed a thousand pounds of metal, while Stroud further hacked at the demon, taunting it away from the gate before it sent him flying with another attack. Once the Champion had been carried through the portal Evelyn proceeded to cross it herself and sealed it shut as Divine Justinia, or whatever that spirit was, had cautioned.

* * *

  
Their breathing still ragged, Cassandra and Varric looked around themselves. They found Vivienne sitting on sand, clutching her knees and looking down. Next to them, a half-torn tower with a familiar flag on top bore witness that they weren't in the fade anymore. The fortress of Adamant had fallen to the Inquisition... but that didn't attract their attention.

"Is that another breach?" Cassandra couldn't even lift her arms, let alone a sword. Her eyes were fixed in the strange green sphere floating on the air, some yards away from them. Varric was still somehow whole enough to point his crossbow at it, and they waited. Even Vivienne was now looking at the breach, even though she also couldn't move any other muscle. The green ball spit an armored hulk of a man, followed by a woman who seemed unlikely to lift him, but had to have done so somehow.

"Hawke!" Varric put down his crossbow and ran to his side. The Fereldan didn't appear to be terribly injured, but his armor was badly warped in the chest zone, and the dwarf got nervous. "I'll get a healer!!" The dwarf ran to the fortress, followed by the eyes of the three women who were still incapable of anything else.


	2. And Cross'd My Heart With Shame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The capitulation of Adamant is discussed.

The dwarf came back with a handful of soldiers, some wearing Inquisition gear and the others outiftted with the Wardens' kit. The ones who looked strongest picked up the Champion of Kirkwall and took him up to one of the still intact towers, under the guidance of some healers. Evelyn finally found the strength to start moving, although she was queasy. Cassandra and Vivienne were also without color in their face, and the three of them were escorted by Inquisition forces inside the great hall, one of the least damaged parts of the fortress.

A short man in a colorful Warden uniform, strangely clean and devoid of marks of combat, approached Evelyn as she took a seat next to one of the chairs in front of the commander's desk. He carried a parchment in his hand, and the stains of ink on his thumb left clear that he had just inked something in a rush.

"Lady Evelyn Trevelyan of Ostwick?" His accent reminded Evelyn of how Cassandra spoke. _Could he be a Nevarran?_

She looked at him as though he had told her he was a quillback. "That... is me. What of it?"

"I am Marcus Nereus Petro Philemon Remigius Pentaghast, fifty-fifth in the line of succession to the Nevarran throne..."

Cassandra's groan boomed throughout the whole hall. Evelyn turned to her.  _Is she hurt, or...?_

The man continued after a beat, but his voice faltered a little "...Commander of the Adamant fortress, and now Commander of the Grey in Orlais."

"It's clear that we're not in the Fade anymore, Inquisitor. No spirit could be as pompous as my cousin here." Cassandra tried to stand up, but she fell dizzy after her sudden movement and went back to the chair.

"Ca... Cassandra? Is that you?" The man, who wasn't tall in the first place, seemed to shrink a bit more every second.

"Unfortunately." The Seeker's voice had a low, growling tone, but it was perfectly heard. "Give her the capitulation already."

"Erm... Yes. That's what I was doing. As the current commander of Adamant and Commander of the Grey in Orlais, I hereby submit our formal capitulation."

He gave Evelyn the parchment, immediately taking his distance from her and sitting on the commander's luxurious throne-like chair. She eyed the document, written in small letters which were unreadable in her current condition. Evelyn passed the parchment to one of the Inquisition's soldiers, a dwarf girl who looked young and eager. "Please, Curia, deliver this for our Ambassador to read. I trust her thinking more than I do mine in these topics, but note that I recommend burning this thing." Marcus gasped and looked at her with wide, incredulous eyes, as did the dwarf.

"How... how did you know my name, Your Worship?" asked Curia.

"Unlike our _Commander of the Grey_ here I know what fighting is. You're a scout in Chief Harding's group. Send her my regards if you see her in Skyhold." The dwarf  left the hall slowly, as though she had been declared a Paragon and wanted everyone to bask in her glory.

Marcus Pentaghast was livid. "This is... outrageous! How dare you...?"

Evelyn flashed her mark, still buzzing with a pale glow, in front of the prince. "Unlike you, _Commander_ , I have been fighting today, both here and in the Fade, just like your cousin. You have been hiding, unlike Clarel. Your uniform tells us everything there is to know: you have not fought today, and you've been running away from the fighting. I am not accepting any _capitulation_ that means the likes of you are going to hide in Weisshaupt and wait until the storm passes."

"That is a ridiculous claim you are doing. I was not going to wear my broken rags to meet a fellow commander!"

"Normally I would be entirely in your favor, Commander Pentaghast." Vivienne interceded. "It is said, however, that true elegance is not noticed. Your exquisite uniform would certainly be welcome in Halamshiral, but it stands out horribly in a battlefield. Wouldn't you agree, Inquisitor?"

"Certainly, Madame de Fer." Evelyn smiled at the unexpected support, and finally managed to stand up. "Let me be clear, though, Your Highness Pentaghast. The last Warden-Commander here was Clarel. Under her rule and for whichever reasons she allowed Corypheus's allies to take over the Grey Wardens in Orlais. There will be no further Grey Warden Commanders here for the time being." A collective gasp could be heard from the Wardens in the room.

Evelyn took a breath, as to reassure herself, and continued. "I want someone to take note of what I will say now". An elf in an Inquisition uniform approached, readying his writing tools and availing himself of the seat that Evelyn had left vacant. As he nodded, Evelyn dictated out loud, her yells echoing on the hall as she unloaded her fury on the lines.

 

> _To the attention of the First Warden:_
> 
> _I address you as the leader of the Inquisition. We have been fighting the Breach, sealing the rifts in the Fade and facing Corypheus, who brandishes himself a god. You have been hiding from the Breach and you have lost countless good men and women to blood magic because you have been aiding Corypheus. Therefore I am taking personal control of the operations of the Grey Wardens in Orlais until we all aim at the same goal,_
> 
> _This message is sent along the brave Warden Pentaghast, who had the nerve of declaring himself commander after a show of cowardice. Should you find a finer leader for the Order in Orlais, I will entertain the idea of leaving my new duties in his or her favour._
> 
> _Respectfully,_
> 
> _Lady Evelyn Trevelyan, Inquisitor of Thedas_

She coughed after her delivery, and gulped a bit. "I'll need some water, should you have something left." She turned her eyes to the elf, who stood up at attention and left the parchment with her speech on the table. "You work with my dear Lady Montilyet, don't you?" He nodded. "I am Soris, Your Worship, and I am a scrivener in her detail." "You should go with Curia then, and tell my lady that I'm safe." "Will do, Your Worship!" He left the room quickly.

"You are a dirty coward, Marcus!" exclaimed his cousin. "You could have saved the lives of many Wardens from the Venatori, but you hid from them, and you hid during this battle. We have killed far better men than you. Why shouldn't we do the same with you???"

"Erm... Cassandra. I was actually going to ask you. I don't think Nevarra would like it if we disposed of him like that. What should we do with him? I mean, realistically".

"You've heard what I think". Cassandra crossed her arms.

"My dear, your missive isn't exactly diplomatic either." Vivienne interjected. "The First Warden may be far away in the Anderfels, but what you just dictated is frankly scandalous."

"No more than the conduct of the Wardens here, using blood magic and..." said the Seeker.

"I am here." said Marcus, "and I'm not a coward for choosing not to die".

Evelyn huffed at him. "Since you are such a brave man who stayed alive, you will be the one to deliver the letter to Weisshaupt. You can stay there, too, for all I care."

Suddenly steps could be heard over wood, moving quickly. Varric Tethras entered the hall and yelled what he had been waiting to say for so long: "HAWKE LIVES! HAWKE LIVES!"

The heavy atmosphere of the room, with the three women and the defeated man looking at him gravely, made him pause: "Wait... I messed up, didn't I? Not that I care, he's my best friend and he LIVES!"

Evelyn cracked a smile. "Now those are really good news. Let's pack this up, then."


	3. Each Night In Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A steamy dream, with an unwelcome finish.

_Even with her eyes closed, Evelyn would recognise those fingers anywhere. They alone elicited feelings that nothing else, no one else could bring up in her. Those fingers, adept in writing with quills on sheets of paper, were now writing patterns on her back with abandon. Her lover's gentle scratching tickled her, and she could feel Josephine's quickening breath on her neck. She leisurely laid back her head, ready to plant a kiss wherever her lips would fall as long as it was Josie. She was all that mattered right now, she and her breathing and her lovely litttle fingers that Evelyn could not wait to feel on her, driving her crazy, working their way through her folds, through her as though they were writing yet another missive, a missive for Evelyn only._

_Josie was all that mattered. Evelyn turned around to satisfy her thirst and hunger, ready to kiss and suckle gently, or to devour with greed. Anything to hear Josie's whimpers, those little utterings that were so proper for a noblewoman of such a high station, and have her then whimper, moan, and finally scream wantonly, like the passionate woman Evelyn knew and loved. Josie's bewitching eyes, whose color was different every time Evelyn looked at them, held her now captive as the diplomat's fingers negotiated their way inside Evelyn's moist sex, bringing her to moan. "You tease..." Josephine was now ruthless, having found the cadence to make Evelyn mad, pushing deeper and with more force, and making her shout her love for Josephine Montilyet..._

but it was her own fingers doing all the work.  _A dream_. _Of course._ She groaned unhappily as she started to gain consciousness and remember.

* * *

 

A flurry of moments went through her mind: _DemonsFadeNightmareSpiderOhNoStroudHawkeIWillStayHereGOWITHTHEINQUISITORLiftingHeavyBreachOutFinally..._ and finally, the capitulation. _That Pentaghast idiot is dealt with._ _I wonder how long I have been sleeping... or dreaming of her._

As her eyes adjusted to the light Evelyn took in her surroundings. She was in a big bed inside a sparsely decorated dormitory: a large tapestry with the Grey Warden motto was the only thing adorning the walls. Truth be told, not much else would fit: she found herself slightly uneasy in such a small room, with the door closed.  _It's little wonder that these people get ideas like offering blood sacrifices for the Venatori if they choose to live like this. Maddening!_  

The heat in the fortress and her "agitated" sleep had made the bed a sweaty lump. She was delighted to see a change of clothes ready, and made a mental note to thank whoever had brought it to her. As she finished to get dressed in the white nondescript overall, more suited to the desert climate than her tight armor, she heard knocking on the door.

"Do come in!" she yelled.

The door opened to reveal the "trusty Tethras", as he considered himself to be.

"Herald, you may hate me for this but I really have to ask you: does Lady Ruffles not give you enough of whatever it is she gives you?" While she usually didn't mind the teasing, Josephine's touch, even if it was just in the Fade as part of a dream, was still too raw and felt too perfect on her naked skin to have the insufferable dwarf joke about it. Her gaze darkened as she met Varric's eyes this time, and he cleared his throat. "Now, that's a Herald of Death I'm seeing there. Forget I asked."

"I will. Bianca will not suffer bodily harm either."

"Heh... You wouldn't dare." A questioning tone lingered in the last syllable. He wouldn't try her patience any more. "Anyways, you need to go down, unless you want Cassandra to organize the Grey Wardens all on her own. Not that she can't, mind you... but _you_ are the boss."

Rubbing her eyes for the last time Evelyn gathered herself and ventured forth to the main hall in which she had discussed the capitulation. The dwarf remained some steps ahead of her, and she was thankful for the guide.

"Say, Varric, how long have I slept?"

The dwarf chuckled. "If I told you that you've been knocked out for two moons would you believe me?"

"I think I would."

"The Iron Lady isn't yet awake either. Can't blame her: she threw herself at the demons like a madwoman. You two are more alike than it could appear." 

Varric and Evelyn descended through a set of stairs that she simply did not remember. She did have to ascend them in order to get to bed, but the whole place seemed completely alien to her, even though she was its conqueror. There may be no more demons, but she still felt totally at odds with the Fortress of Adamant. _  
_

"The Seeker wants us to plan what we're going to do with this place. It reminds me of the blighted Deep Roads I lost my brother in, so if there's a vote, my option is to tear down this sucker and raze it to the ground. There is evil here, lurking in each wall. The red lyrium we have found doesn't make me feel better either."

 _Well, at least I'm not alone in this._ "Let's see what Cassandra thinks."


	4. As The Moth Sees Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red lyrium is dangerous, Cassandra.

Varric opened the door to the great hall only to find Cassandra completely bathed in a red light which sent dazzling waves to her armor. Her strong features were highlighted by the powerful glow of a mountain of red lyrium as high as herself.

A dwarf could only stand so much. Varric could only turn to a corner of the hall before emptying his bowels on one corner of the hall, vomiting every possible thing that had gone in his mouth in the last week. Evelyn could scarcely react, torn between the sudden vomit on her feet and the haunting red silhouette of Lady Pentaghast.

She could only utter a word: "Cassandra!"

"Inquisitor. As alvvays, you 'ave the gift of opportuneness." Was it just Evelyn or had the Nevarran accent of the Seeker become even thicker?

"What's going on here? Why is this... filth littering the hall?"

"I was simply admiring my vvork. Zis pile of lyrium has taken no little effort to build... please have at it. Varric will be next, I hope..." _  
_

Evelyn drew a weapon as Cassandra took a step towards Varric and he turned around: his face was pale and pasty, his mouth was still wet with bile and he sat on the floor, unable to keep himself straight any longer. "IT SINGS! IT SINGS!"

"I don't know who you are, you demon". Evelyn's trusty blade was held by her trembling hand.

Cassandra did not flinch in the slightest.  _Well, at least that's like her._ _  
_

She felt a hand on her shoulder now, and a yell pierced her ear.

" **EVELYN!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME???** "

That voice was... Cassandra's? Her accent was familiar, at least.

"Maker's Breath, what is wrong with you? Destroy the lyrium!" Evelyn blinked once, twice, thrice... Varric was turned around, trying his best not to look at the huge pile of red glow, but no pool of vomit was around him.

"Seeker, don't say I didn't tell you. Give her a break! It wasn't a good idea to gather all this crap in the same place, even if she is the damned Herald of Andraste. Didn't I tell you how close I was to lose my damned mind to a small shard of that thing? Who knows what kinds of shit she's seeing right now! She's not made of stone!"

Evelyn shook her head. Varric had put it more colorfully than she would, but he was entirely accurate. Her body trembled, her face burnt, her ears buzzed with a haunting noise and it was hard to breathe. She couldn't risk falling prey to that hallucination.

"I... I can't. Please... let us leave."

Cassandra sighed. "Very well. Let us seal the door."

Varric grabbed the Inquisitor by the wrist, forcefully pulling from her and staring daggers at Cassandra while the Pentaghast scion produced a key and locked the main door, studying the firmness of the seal. Once she was content with the lock she finally headed towards Evelyn, stone-faced but with a compassionate look in her eyes. "I am sorry. I didn't imagine the red lyrium would pain you so."

"How did you...  pile it up like that?" As the lyrium's oppressive fog vanished from her mind Evelyn found clarity in her voice, and the feeling of relief made her somehow light-headed. Both Varric and Cassandra smiled at her: she was between friends again.

"Since you were asleep I have been gathering the entirety of the red lyrium that was in the fortress. As you already know, I am resistant to its effects... But I wanted you to help me destroy it, as I have seen you do in the past. However it seems that it drew you in somehow, and I do not dare hack at it on my own."

"It is one thing to smash a red lyrium crystal in the outside, with the fresh air and all, and another thing to find it in a secluded place where you hear it singing everywhere. This thing makes people crazy because it isolates them. It did that with me, with my brother, with Mrs Templar and who knows with how many more... Which brings us to the next point". Varric cleared his throat. "This is just another reason to raze this place to the ground. We're not going to do anything here and the last thing we need is some group of losers coming here and getting ideas."

"But this is the Wardens' fortress. There are still many that were summoned by Clarel who have still not arrived. We can not simply bombard this place and have them find nothing." Cassandra huffed at the notion.

An idea brightened Evelyn's face. "Maybe they could relocate to Griffon Keep. We may leave a couple of people here to tell the stragglers to head there instead, and then destroy it."

Dwarf and Seeker exchanged dumb looks, as though they couldn't imagine why they hadn't thought of that.

"That makes sense" interjected the giant woman. "Griffon Keep is not much far away and it is understaffed as it is right now. We recently managed to secure the water supply, too".

"We need to think about Hawke, though." Varric's face was clouded with worry. "He got badly banged, in the chest especially. The healers said he'd make it, but I don't think he'll handle the trek right now. Unless he could have a healer with him, he shouldn't actually move at all..." The dwarf scratched his square chin, "the telling sign of a hero" as he joked sometimes. "Maybe Sunshine? It could be a long shot... Miss Seeker, you've been all around the fortress. I know it's a huge mess, but did you find any census? A list of Wardens that were here, or should be here?"

Cassandra chuckled. "You should be more direct sometimes, dwarf. I know for a fact that Bethany Hawke was stationed here."

Evelyn furrowed her brow. "Bethany _Hawke_? Is she family of the Champion?"

"His very own sister." replied Cassandra. A Grey Warden mage who fortunately wasn't here to be corrupted by the Venatori. There is no telling whether she could have heeded the false Calling and headed to the Deep Roads, though."

"She hates those caves even more than I, Seeker. She's a good girl, but if she's sent to die she will not quietly obey." He chuckled softly "She's just like her big brother in that regard. She'll be fine." Evelyn hoped he wasn't just trying to tell that to himself.


	5. Let Chaos Be Undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adamant's fate is sealed, and decisions taken.

The incident with the red lyrium convinced Evelyn that Adamant had outlived its usefulness, and that it had to be destroyed. She summoned the remaining Wardens and informed them of the situation. The majority of them were still shellshocked after the battle and the revelations that came afterwards, and Evelyn was not sure if telling them they had to leave the fortress would affect morale.

"Messere Trevelyan", said one of the Warden healers who had been tending to Garrett Hawke since Evelyn brought him from the Fade, "this is no longer our home. It is a place of shame, where we forsook our vows and heeded the words of a darkspawn. Any Warden would agree that this is not where we want to live anymore."

Haven, with its memories of failure, came to Evelyn's mind. _I think I get it. I don't want to go there ever again._ The memories still burned and glowed in her mind, not unlike the lyrium that had poisoned the Red Templars. She took back her seat in the commander's office where she had summoned the Wardens for her message. 

"I am glad we share the same sentiment, messere..."

"Ramon. I talked to you briefly, when you came to visit Messere Hawke before."

"How is he faring? You mentioned he wouldn't be able to fight for a while because of his arm, but has he waken up yet?"

A large, imposing figure crossed the door, followed closely by a familiar dwarf.

"Let _me_  answer that for a change. I still haven't thanked you properly for what you did for me" Garrett Hawke was smiling, and although his arm was kept in place by a makeshift cast he still oozed his personal sort of vibrant energy. He made a slow, exaggerated bow which somehow strained his arm and made him yelp loudly. "AHEM!" He cleared his throat quickly. "Varric has told me what happened: I hope I didn't break your arms with my being such a big guy and all." He winked at Evelyn and she chortled.

Ramon frowned at the man. "I said you could walk around. I certainly did  _not_  say you could be parading yourself like an Orlesian noble, making those gestures."

"Bah. I've been around healers all my life: exaggerating is what they do best." His words earned him a stare from Varric. "My sister will come here and she'll scold me just like you are, so please, messere Ramon, rest assured that I will be in good hands. Besides, I am the CHAMPION!! OF!! KIRKWALL!! A noble in my own right, so I need to practice my courtly manners. You never know when you will find a charming prince, do you. Or maybe you do, if he wears a white coat and Andraste on his crotch. Maker knows he's not subtle."

"A... Andraste on what?" Evelyn could already picture her family making an attempt against that blasphemer's life. Much of her father's small estate, and of his personal effort, was dedicated to keeping the worship places in their patch of land in pristine condition: his daughter could simply not compete against the Bride of the Maker. When the family learned of her being called her Herald she was officially disowned by her relatives. _  
_

"Oh, you are from Ostwick. Surely you know Sebastian Vael, the Prince of Starkhaven."

"You have to be joking." Evelyn had heard many tales of the prince back in Ostwick, and actually met the man more than once. Her father had contributed to fund Vael's campaign to oust his relative and he had always been an untiring supporter of the man, who struck Evelyn as a balding fanatic with huge open eyes.

"You know, I wish I were. I remember Bethany pined for him back in the day. She tried to tell me that he was attractive!" Hawke faced Evelyn. "She is my sister, by the way, and as you know already she is a Warden who was stationed here. Since she's on her way here I would like to wait until she comes back." He stopped for a second and blinked, his face lit with enthusiasm. "You know, I could even stay here with messere Ramon and get all the coming Wardens to gather in Griffon Keep, so the Inquisition can attend more pressing matters."

Evelyn nodded, holding her chin. "There's an idea. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see this place ever again". Her mind traveled to a certain office of the Skyhold fortress where no doubt her beloved would be still working. The sooner she could get to Josephine and get them both to cuddle and rest, the better.


	6. Magic Upon Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two mages, an elf and a human, reach Val Firmin.

Val Firmin was a beautiful town: its privileged location, just south of Lake Celestine, afforded its dwellers the sight of magnificient landscapes that had been sung about time and time again by Orlesian bards from all over the kingdom. It was one of the many villages spawned around the once magnificient Imperial Highway of Tevinter, and the locals had done their best to keep their part of the road in good state, to the point of hiring mages from the neighboring Montsimmard Circle in order to inspect the magical foundations of the road. According to Vienna Arinai the mages had found no magic present at all in the structure, but they had performed some safe, showy spells that had earned them a pretty coin, left the Val Firminers happy and the First Enchanter of Montsimmard even happier. Even the templar who guarded the mages had joined in the common glee, undoubtedly helped by a purse fattened with sovereigns.

"How do you know all that, messere Arinai? I may not be the most qualified to say this, but I don't think the Circle would stoop so low." Bethany Hawke eyed her elven travel companion with some more skepticism than usual. 

"Of course you wouldn't, messere Hawke. However, I was in Cumberland, in the Grand Summit, and I heard that story from the mouth of the mages. I can tell you their names, if you..." 

"No, thank you. I would... rather not". Bethany raised her hands, a bit flustered. Vienna shrugged, and to Bethany's relief her gaze turned to Val Firmin, where they would rest for the night.

It wasn't that Arinai was not companionable, but she did unnerve the Lotheringian. She had been a seasoned Grey Warden, for... _ten years? Already?_ She was used to fight deadly genlocks, but their complete lack of hair everywhere had always disquieted her. To find a civilized creature like that, hairless, browless, lashless, brought Bethany's mind back to the Deep Roads. Arinai had easily volunteered that it was an accident as a child, and that the templars apparently had gone for her afterwards. However, if she was saying the truth there was no way to know, as she had grown up in the very troubled Circle of Lake Calenhad in Ferelden. 

They made it to the local inn with no hardships. Vienna took over the conversation and impressed the innkeeper with her Orlesian. Once seated in the best place of the inn with direct sight of the Celestine, and with good wine filling finer cups than what Bethany had seen in a long time, she dared face her companion again.

"Messere Arinai..."

"Messere Hawke, let us drop the messeres. We are traveling together. I am Vienna and you are Bethany." Her voice grew warmer and her face showed the faint trace of a smile. 

Bethany cleared her throat and smiled. "That's what I had in mind... Vienna. And since we're going to travel together for a while, I would like a larger version of the story you told me before. Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Easy there, Bethany. I thought we could talk to each other in peace with this fine grape juice as witness." Vienna downed a healthy part of the cup and left it back, with a little finger drumming. "I am just a mage like you. I was born in an alienage, I burnt my hair for good and I was brought to the Mage Tower. I passed my Harrowing, went to battle in Ostagar only to find defeat and headed back to Calenhad only to find it in flames. You lost your home, too, as you said before. I'm sure know what that feels like."

Bethany closed your eyes, but her tears fell anyways. She pictured Lothering, her old home not unlike the little Val Firmin, ravaged by the Maker-damned darkspawn, and Kirkwall, her other home destroyed by more underhanded but equally evil forces. She gazed longingly at her cup and brought it to her lips, letting the slightly sweet liquor sweep down all the memories and clear her throat.

"Did you meet the Heroes of Ferelden, the Grey Wardens and their allies? The bards said that they rescued the few surviving mages from the clutches of the madman Uldred. One of them was a Fereldan mage, I'm sure you know of her too!"

Bethany's dreamy tone made Vienna blink. "Yes, I saw them in the tower. I was guarding the children at the request of Senior Enchanter Wynne, may she be with the Maker. She spoke with the big Templar and she joined them after the danger had passed. About the Fereldan mage... I guess we saw each other some time. I never got close with her."

"Ahhh, yes, I see what you mean. There are so many mages in the Circles! And who's the big Templar? You mean King Alistair? He was one of the heroes, right? You saw him face to face!" Bethany could barely contain herself with excitement. The unbelievable exploits of the Heroes of Ferelden had been celebrated in the whole of Thedas, especially in Kirkwall where so many Fereldans had toiled. Some had taken the decision to return right away, while others... couldn't.

"I guess so." The elf's face visibly sombered at the mention of the king's name, which intrigued Bethany. It wasn't easy for such an inexpressive face to convey sorrow, but the name of the king apparently pained the elf. Bethany decided to let that topic go, in spite of her curiosity.

"And what did you do afterwards? I don't think they taught you Orlesian as part of your mage training." The comment made Vienna smile, which seemed to be an unusual sight, and she downed the rest of her wine.

"Now *that*, Messere, is a long story which will need more of this..." she caressed the border of the cup and signaled for one of the barkeeps.


	7. Marvel At Perfection, For It Is Fleeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bethany Hawke doesn't get lucky, but she finds her luck.

Bethany's head was spinning, and she wasn't sure if it was for the generous amounts of wine that she had drunk courtesy of Aranai's sovereigns (she was not going to say no to a a "my treat" as firm as that) or due to her outrageous stories. Apparently the woman was unable to keep herself in one place for long, if her anecdotes in so many different places were to be believed. After her years as Grey Warden she had forgotten what it was like to see travelling elves: the Dalish were indeed nomads, but they kept their contacts with humans to the bare minimum so they were as good as invisible. Bar Merrill, she noticed. She was definitely not invisible.

"Vienna, you're a walking scandal! Give me just a bit... I need to go tend to myself." She pointed her chin to the door which indicated where the latrines were, in the wall opposite to where they were.

"I was going to mention that, but since you called dibs first... go and take your time." Arinai smiled. She seemed to be much fresher than Bethany even though she had kept up with Hawke in the unstoppable stream of alcohol. 

 _If I didn't know better I would say there's magic involved_. Bethany rose up tentatively, grinning to herself after that thought, and headed to the latrine to relieve herself with the intention to follow Arinai's recommendation, sit down, part her legs and think of Ferelden. The door she opened led to a corridor which isolated the latrines from the rest of the place. _Smart thinking_ , she commended the tavern's owner. She walked slowly, but as she approached the next door she noticed some clothes in a puddle. If she hadn't seen them, the unmistakable grunts of a male and moans of a female would have clued her in.

Drunk as she was, her custom to remember inopportune things was in full force and the handsome face of Sebastian Vael, prince of Starkhaven, came to her mind. So many years had gone by, but he still haunted Bethany's dreams and fantasies, and tonight was not going to be an exception. What wouldn't she give for that marvelous stud to have his way with her...

But some impositions from nature are non-negotiable, and Bethany felt a bloat that killed her mood completely. It was a matter of getting in, ignoring the sexy times around her and getting out quickly. The lad's belt had a strange shine to it, though, which the properly lit corridor revealed. There was a strange mark in the buckle... an eye, crossed by a sword?

"Maker's breath".

She'd have to ponder that later though, as nature's bequest became more urgent. She opened the door slowly, trying to make the quietest entrance possible. The female voice sounded desperate, and now that Bethany had crossed the door she could make out the words. They were in the other corner of the room, partially shielded by a wall, but it was all unmistakable. As Bethany emptied her bowels in the nearest latrine she learned how Curia was such a good girl, and how she'd earned it. Curia asked "Soris" to give it to her, that she loved what he was doing to her. _At least they're really into each other_. Kissing sounds mixed with Curia's moans as it appeared that Soris was building his own climax. Had he really said he was going to come inside her? Just like that? According to Curia it was all right, but he had to hurry... and hurry he did. As he was releasing his seed inside his lover Bethany started peeing. The little pleased hum she made startled the lovers who stopped suddenly.

"Oh shit, someone came!" The hurried tone of Soris, who couldn't be more than a teenager from his voice, echoed through the place, and Bethany giggled as she finished her business.

"Soris, it's all right. We can't do anything at this point. From the waist down everything is in the corridor." Curia's voice seemed filled with postcoital bliss. "And you have a magnificient equipment for an elf."

"CURIA!" Soris sounded all flustered and Bethany cackled.

"Very well, lovers, I am sorry I interrupted you." She said from her seat. "I will go now, but I just want to know: are you with the Inquisition?"

The room stood completely silent for some seconds. She didn't need to see them to understand Soris and Curia were looking at each other, not expecting that.

"Ye... Yes, messere. We... we... come from A...Adamant back to Skyhold." Soris's strained voice stuttered. Bethany's gasp echoed through the room.

"Then I would like to speak to you, once you are presentable."

Bethany hurried out of the corridor, her head strangely cleared after the experience, and she went back to her table. Arinai watched her with another expression that she couldn't decipher.

"Something happened in the latrines. I think you should hold off for a bit."

"I am not a patient woman, messere Hawke, not with all this wine in me. Tell _something_ to hurry." That brought out another hearty chuckle out of the Lotheringian.

"I'm afraid I can't, messere Arinai."


End file.
